Auto-darkening welding helmets?

[Gary_in_Indiana]

I bought one by Hobart for about half that at TSC. It's not only auto darkening, but adjustable from 9-13 also, I believe. Ironically, I got one with decals depicting an American Eagle and flag for a few dollars less than a plain black one (it must have been in stock before a price increase hit).

As to it being worth the money, I'd have to say it is. I've only used this so I have no comparison directly. I can tell you that some others in a welding class I took were not happy without one, though, and had a lot harder time starting their welds, etc., than I did.

The Hobart darkens in 1/11,000th of a second while the Jackson darkens in less than half that time (1/25,000th of a second). If the money is close, I'd probably go with the Jackson. If I'd known the difference when I was buying, I would have.

Good luck with whatever you decide. I hope this helps. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[GaryM]

I have one I bought at HF last year. I'd never go back!

I think I paid about $130.

 

[Tags]

This place,and the people that are here NEVER let me down,looks like I'm gonna start shoppin' for a new helmet!!

 

[wroughtn_harv]

I carry two of those three hundred plus helmets in a tool box on the truck. If one breaks I have a back up./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

You can buy just an insert for a regular helmet for about a hundred dollars. That's just fine.

But if you can get a Jackson Master. You can adjust till the cows come home. And what's really kewl, if you wear reading glasses like me, is you can use the same hood to grind, push the button "grind", the lense turns to clear. Or you can push the button "torch" and the lense turns to shade five for cutting.

I also have a Phantom. It's light and easy with all kinds of adjustments but you can't use the torch or grind with it. I have two other Jacksons at the shop with the inserts for visitors to use. That might tell you how much I'm into auto darkening hoods. I have them for visitors to use too!

 

[MDNick]

I am with everyone else here. I love mine, and would never go back. Mine was $279, I think. Yes, they make them cheaper. There are typically 2-3 things that affect their cost, shade adjustability, response time, and size. The cheap ones have about a 1"x3" or so window. Ain't much. Fine for straight on viewing, but if your upside down, inside a machine looking over your shoulder, that small window will present problems. I'd go with as a big a window as you can get, want, and afford. Fast response time is essential. Damage to the eye is cumulative. With a 1/25,000th response time, strike an arc 25 times, and 1 millisecond of light got through to your eye. The 1/11,000th scares me. The shade adjustability is nice if you're doing various types of welding, some put of more light than others. I only stick weld, I've set mine on 10 and left it alone. Most of the non-adjustables are shade 10.

Choices, choices, but definitely choose to get one.

Nick

 

[gmason]

well, maybe I'm the odd one here, I got one off ebay for about $80 to my door, and it is a little on the cheep side. Lightweight and a ~3"x2" viewer. It is adjustable on the outside of the helmet so that you can adjust it during the arc. It has a plastic outter view window that does get pitted over an extended time.

But for my useage, non professional, it's purhaps the 2nd best tool I've got. I've been able to strike the arc exactly where I need it to start and restarts are right on the money also. Mine is a 1/20,000 sec with no batteries to change.

BTW I also saw this same helmet at Agri-supply locally.